Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1887-09-17
THE LA BOR ARTY.
NEW YORK AND MASSACHU-
SETTS CONTRIBUTE.
organized Labor Asserting itself.
Not to he Sidc.Trackcd Web.
Ster Hall and New Era
Hall Massachusetts
Nominations.

The process Of crystaIization is
gong on in the labor movement,
notWltanding the wOuld.bc absolute
ly independent attitude of some re-
fOrmers who travel on one idea.
! he wants of labor are many, and
present needs will ever hayean innu-
ence in determining present action,
At the same time the prudent man
will look to the future and prepare
for future better conditions. This
evidently was the spirit which ami
mated the deliberaton of the Web
ster Hall conference and convention
in New York, which resulted in the
formation of a Labor Party embrac-
ing many present interests and the
great object of the labor movement
also-the abolition of wage-slavery
and the establishment of universal
cooperation. The platform adopted
by the representatives of Organized
Labor in New York is long and
comprensive, and the name adopted
is "Progressiye Labor Party
While the adjective seems rather
superiluous. it nevertheless shows
the spirit of the convention. 1t is
plain enough to be understood with
out the assistance of oratorical in
terpreters.
NEW YORK PLATFORM
WHEREAS, Realizing the necessity of
constant vigilance and united action, the
various Trade Organizations of the city
New York have established Il representa-
tive body known as the Central Labor
Union; and
WHEREAS, Their declared purpose, in
SO doing, was ''to assist each other in all
struggles, political and MdustriM,"
against the encroachments of capital
istic oligarchy, hostile to Labor and de-
struchee of American liberty; and
WHEREAS, We hold with the Central
Labor Union:
|. THAT the soil of every country is
the social and common inheritance of
the people.
2. THAT Labor produces all wealth"
which includes the instruments through
which alone the forces of nature become
accessible.
3. THAT ali should, " therefore, "have
free access to land" and to the instru.
ments Of production, "without tribute
to landlords and monopolists."
4. "fhat there can be no harmony
between Capital and Labor under the
present industrial system which either
dwarfs or suppresSes individual develop
ment by denying to the masses of the
American people their inalienable right
to life, liberty. and the pursuit of happi-
ness.
5. THAT the emancipation Of the
working classes must be achieved by the
working classes themselves through
''the establishment" as demanded by
the Knights of Labor, "of cooperative
institutions, such as will tend to super
sede the wage-system by the introduc-
ton of cooperative industrial system;'
and
WHEREAS, The Central Labor Union,
in pursuance Of its object has on several
occasions, and notably last year entered
the political field but
WHEREAS, The political agency of its
own creation has been perverted in its
aims, adulterated i'll its composition,
and converted into a despotic ring by
the very candidate whom it had most
honored and trusted; therefore. be it
ReSOlred That we, representatives of
Organized Labor i'll convention assem-
bled reatfirm the platforms OF the Cen
tral Labor Union ard the Knights Of
Labor.
Res0ired. That for the furtheranCe of
the great American movement of the
masses against the classes upon its natur-
al lines, we constitute ourselves into an
independent political body, under the
name of "Progressive Labor Party" to
be primarily and permanently controlled
by the bona fde labor organizations,
wage workers and producers, of the city,
of the State, and of the United States,
through their accredited representatives.
Resolred That with view to the i'm
mediate relief Of the people by the cor
rection of glaring abuses and the sup
preston of odious wrongs, we first de-
mand:
That eight hours constitute a days
| work
Prohibition of child-labor in all occu-
pations.
Prohibition of female labor in occupa-